009to090 wrote:Update to this post....My wife switched to Powdered HE.She bought the cheapest no-name brand that she could find, that had the HE designation.The very first load STUNK to High-heaven! The powdered soap must have cleaned off or loosened all the mildew/dirt.She re-washed that load, and the clothes came out smelling fresh as a Spring rain!EVERY load since, has smelled fresh. No more stink!

009to090 wrote:Yeah, we have had the "stinky washer" issue for the past 10 years. My wife narrowed it down to the liquid Tide-He. It made the most stink. After she switched to Arm & Hammer Liquid He, the stink went away . After seeing Rob's post, she's gonna try powder now. If you are worried about it gumming up your little tray, she says to sprinkle it in the tub, on the clothes, then close the door and start the cycle.

I have heard that the Sam's Club brand of powdered detergent works very well...and it is very inexpensive.

Rob R. wrote:Take a closer look at the picture on that little door...looks like it shows a scoop AND a cap of liquid.

Yeah I saw that ... but the design of it looks like it's meant for liquid only. When it fills, none of the water hits the sides - if you dumped a cup of powder in there, half of it would remain - at least it looks that way anyway ....

Update...after a few months of success with powdered detergent, we decided to use up the last jug of liquid detergent that we had in stock. Within two weeks of switching back to the liquid the washer started to stink again. I ended up giving the rest of the liquid detergent away and went back to the powder. It has been a few months and the washer still smells great and the clothes are clean. Hard to believe it makes that much difference, but apparently it does.